Tag Archives: dog training

I’ve been thinking a lot lately. That’s the kind of thing that happens while you sit at your desk, knitting until your fingers and wrists go numb, watching millions of images load ever so slowly on your dino-dial-ups for Pintrest. There’s been topics fluttering in my mind, words to mash out on this blank screen… but knitting doesn’t work well with typing. You loose your count and your train of thought all at one time. Trust me.

And it’s hard to work on this, when you need to work on that. Priorities wrestle with wants. Needs fling mud at desires. Options and choices wrestle in the jello pit that once was a functional brain. Everything fights you, time, budgets, noises, small people wanting things.

It’s like the first time I looked into selling handmade goods on Etsy, they say, “Choose one medium”. Choose one. Like that’s possible for me. I can knit, crochet, draw, paint, sew, quill, carve, stamp, shape… not that I have valuable skills in every form, but choosing one is like asking me if I want to keep my right or my left leg… um, all please?

I want to do it all, because what if I choose the wrong one? My hobby is hobbies. But I want one to be mine. Or at least three. Maybe four. My hard limit is at nine, honestly.

And somehow this all links back to writing. What if. I mean really, what if? What if while I’m busy training dogs (or not so busy, thank you economy), and knitting my fingers off to pay the bills, supporting my writer friends, promoting them, blogging about nothing, chasing kids, trying to make a garden/homestead on a rock bed, pretending I know how to sing for the fake band… What if, deep in my computer’s files, laying in wait, is the next big thing. And in my interview with Ellen (because Oprah erks me to no end) she asks how long it took me to write this book, that instantly sold out, and the movie rights were bought before it was even published… I have to say, twenty years. And I have to admit that for 19 of those years it was sitting there in my computer’s memory, because I was too friggen scared/hard on myself to even try. And she’s going to laugh and call me cute, while holding up one of my washcloths and make some cute joke about loving Jesus and drinking beer.

Okay so I doubt that’s how anything would unfold. But what if?

But where’s the time? And where the frick, is the confidence? Because all I know is that them washcloths will not make themselves. And sitting here, typing about what if’s does not pay the bills.

I’m not big on giving out dog training advice via the interwebs, or even the phone. Every dog is so different, and every owner is different too, and in 99% of cases there is no one way fits all approach to anything.

And too, I’m a Dog Trainer for one of my many livings. I have a student loan I’m still paying on. I need to get paid and such.

But in saying all of that, my friend had a scary situation last night, that many of us have faced before, and it’s one that could really get someone hurt, in more ways than one. Her dog jumped the fence and took off running.

Stopping this from ever happening is a pretty easy fix with most dogs, but not one that can be done from my office on a computer screen. So let’s talk about what you should do when your dog takes off.

I’d bet 89% of us would immediately panic. Our dogs feel that. We tense up, our hearts begin to race, we move in jerky actions, lounge forward, scream loudly… sorta like a rabid ape lounging towards our pets. So they run, they run for every inch of their life. Would you run to a human acting like that? Right.

So the first thing to do is to try to relax. Easier said then done, I know. If they’re standing there, not running yet, try dropping to the ground, relaxing, calling their name gently. Acting like there’s nothing going on. If your dog has had some decent obedience training, you can fake a treat in your hand and call out some commands, like tricks, happily, and get their focus on you.

Again, in the same spirit, if they are running, or they have that look in their eye that they want to take off, turn it into a game. Most dogs love a good game of chase, and most of them never get a good game of it in with their owners. So you take off running, jumping around like prey, in the opposite direction. Playfully call their name. Act like an idiot. Make them want to chase you. And never immediately grab them when they do come back. Offer tons of praise, act like nothing happened.

Another good exercise is to practice these things outside, with distraction, on a leash. The two most important commands in a dog’s life is “Come” and “Down”, so seek out a good qualified trainer if your dog doesn’t know these commands perfectly.

And remember, no plan is ever fool-proof, especially with an animal. Make sure they have a micro-chip that is registered, and always keep current pictures on hand. And never, ever panic.

This is just a quick tip, and there’s so much more I could cover. I’d be happy to answer any questions that can be answered online.

ps. legal stuff: I cannot be held liable for you reading this information and it not working with you and your pet. Dog training is a physical and demanding sport and discretion should always be used. Be smart and safe out there. 😉 Aka you can’t sue me. ❤

I’ve had the itch lately to get back to work. I’m not sure what’s driving the need, beyond the fact that I go through waves of this and that, and can never seem to really make my mind up about anything.

Or maybe it’s life telling me I need to do it. Maybe it’s just the time, or maybe it’s not and I’m just looking too far into things, which I tend to do.

(For those of you out of the know, my real profession is Professional Dog Training, from basics to Military)

I haven’t stopped working, I still train here and there, but I haven’t pushed it lately… mostly boredom, mostly economy. And maybe it’s all from the blow of a big opportunity that had come before us, that never came to be because of said economy. (Having a full plate at home never helps either)

And the clock is ticking by, wasting precious seconds and chances. And I only wish I could decide on the right path. I’d love nothing more than to shove myself fully into ten different directions, because I really don’t want to give up anything… I want/need to do it all.

Which explains why last night I was tearing out pages for kitchen remodels, while practicing songs for the fake band, while contemplating how I could proceed with the dog training, while charging my kindle, while yelling at myself for not editing the book, while thanking God for Venti sized coffee.

Have you had to decide on a certain path? How’d you make the decision? What did you have to let go of? Anyone want to fund an awesome Dog Training idea?